Listen: Stellantis CEO Calls Out U.S. Plants for Absenteeism

Tavares called employees “the heart of Stellantis” and credited their “focus on execution and excellence” for the company’s record year. He even called their commitment “tireless” which is why the sparring between Stallantis and the UAW later that day was so strange.

Company CFO Richard Palmer predicted some upcoming challenges as the company reviewed its reports and cited, not just continued supply problems but also an increase in labor costs due to absenteeism he said was more pronounced in North America. 

Tavares added in a media roundtable later that day that absenteeism in US factories outpaces the rest of the world, saying there was a “significant difference” between the U.S. and the rest of the world that Stellantis observed using the same KPIs for all factories